Results 3,161-3,180 of 19,032 for speaker:Ruairi Quinn

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Academic Publications (10 Oct 2013)

Ruairi Quinn: I propose to take Questions Nos. 82 and 83 together. The information sought by the Deputy is not readily available in my Department. Officials of my Department have asked the Higher Education Authority to check if the information is obtainable and any available information will be forwarded to the Deputy as soon as possible.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Student Grant Scheme Applications (10 Oct 2013)

Ruairi Quinn: Officials in my Department have confirmed with Student Universal Support Ireland that, in the case of the student referred to by the Deputy, documentation was received on 3rd and 25th September, 2013. The documentation is currently awaiting review and the student will be notified directly of the outcome.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Education Schemes (10 Oct 2013)

Ruairi Quinn: I propose to take Questions Nos. 85 and 86 together. The Circus & Fairground Service is a pilot initiative which provides primary school-age children with up to six hours tuition per week. The Service is delivered by qualified primary teachers retained by Education Centres throughout the country. The numbers of teachers retained to deliver the service has recently been reduced to...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Departmental Staff Remuneration (10 Oct 2013)

Ruairi Quinn: There are no officials at my Department on salaries that exceed the amount of the Taoiseach's salary or the Government's pay cap.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Student Grant Scheme Appeals (9 Oct 2013)

Ruairi Quinn: Officials in my Department have confirmed with Student Universal Support Ireland that in the case of the student referred to by the Deputy, her student grant application was appealed to the appeals officer in SUSI on 17 September, 2013 and the student will be notified directly by SUSI of the outcome. Where an appeal is turned down in writing by SUSI and the applicant remains of the view...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Site Acquisitions (9 Oct 2013)

Ruairi Quinn: I am pleased to advise that the legal agreement associated with the donation of the site referred to by the Deputy was concluded earlier this year.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Building Projects Applications (9 Oct 2013)

Ruairi Quinn: I wish to advise the Deputy that my Department officials met with the ETB in August last in relation to a capital project for the school concerned. The next step is to determine the suitability of the greenfield site, identified by the ETB, for development and this process is on-going. Tralee has not been identified as an area of significant demographic growth. In that context, a project...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Special Educational Needs Staff Remuneration (9 Oct 2013)

Ruairi Quinn: I propose to take Questions Nos. 78, 79, 81 and 82 together. All of these questions relate to Special Needs Assistants (SNAs). In relation to SNA contracts, the position is that the standard contract for SNAs was agreed by this Department, the Trade Unions (IMPACT and SIPTU) representing SNAs and the Management Bodies in 2005. This standard contract has not been amended recently nor are...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Special Educational Needs Staff Remuneration (9 Oct 2013)

Ruairi Quinn: I wish to advise the Deputy that the National Council for Special Education (NCSE) is responsible, through its network of local Special Educational Needs Organisers (SENOs), for processing applications from schools for special educational needs supports including Special Needs Assistant (SNA) support, to support children with special educational needs. The NCSE operates within my...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Stádas Scoile Faoi Mhíbhuntáiste (9 Oct 2013)

Ruairi Quinn: Bunaíodh an próiseas aitheantais do bhunscoileanna ar anailís a rinne an tIonad Taighde Oideachais (ERC) ar thorthaí suirbhé ar bhunscoileanna. Aithníodh san anailís na hathróga socheacnamaíocha is fearr, i dteannta a chéile, mar fháistineoirí ar ghnóthachtáil, agus baineadh úsáid as na hathróga sin chun...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Third Level Fees (9 Oct 2013)

Ruairi Quinn: Under the terms of my Department's Free Fee Schemes the Exchequer meets the cost of tuition fees in respect of eligible students who are pursuing full-time undergraduate courses of study which are a minimum of two years duration in an approved higher education institution. The main conditions of the scheme are that students must be first-time undergraduates, hold inter alia EU/EEA/Swiss...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Education and Training Provision (9 Oct 2013)

Ruairi Quinn: Quality and Qualifications Ireland (QQI) has assumed the award-making function of both FETAC, which made awards for programmes provided by Abbey College, and HETAC. Under the Qualifications and Quality Assurance (Education and Training) Act, 2012, providers which seek access to the awards of QQI must first have their procedures for quality assurance agreed by QQI. QQI is introducing a new...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Institutes of Technology Issues (9 Oct 2013)

Ruairi Quinn: The Irish higher education system must deliver against multiple objectives. A System Performance Framework has been published which outlines key system objectives and indicators for the system as a whole. No single institution can hope to deliver comprehensively against all these objectives. Instead, the National Strategy for Higher Education to 2030 supports the development of a system of...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Building Projects Status (9 Oct 2013)

Ruairi Quinn: I wish to advise the Deputy that it is my Department's intention to provide improved accommodation for the school to which he refers. It is intended that the school will be accommodated in a school building currently occupied temporarily by a special school pending the construction of a permanent school building for the latter. This permanent building is listed on the Five Year Construction...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Broadband Services Provision (9 Oct 2013)

Ruairi Quinn: Under the Schools Broadband Access Programme the Department provides for the supply of internet connectivity for all recognised primary schools. All contracts under the Schools Broadband Access Programme were re-tendered last year under a public procurement competition. As a result of this the number of service providers has been expanded from 6 to 13 with the aim of ensuring that...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Pupil-Teacher Ratio (9 Oct 2013)

Ruairi Quinn: The criteria used for the allocation of teachers to schools is published annually on the Department's website. The key factor for determining the level of staffing resources provided at individual school level is the staffing schedule for the relevant school year and pupil enrolments on the previous 30 September. The staffing schedule operates in a clear and transparent manner and treats all...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Apprenticeship Programmes (9 Oct 2013)

Ruairi Quinn: I am informed that the number of apprentices registered by employers in the past 5 years, as well as the total apprentice population for each year is as follows: Year Registrations Apprenticeship population 2008 3,765 26,170 2009 1,535 21,407 2010 1,204 14,801 2011 1,307 13,001 2012 1,434 8,862 2013 1,266 (year to date) 7,725 (year to date) The above figures also include the...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Education Policy (9 Oct 2013)

Ruairi Quinn: As the Deputy may be aware, the vast majority of support for child care, including preschool education, is not provided by my Department, but is provided by the Department of Children and Youth Affairs. Funding for island preschools is a matter for that Department. In my Department, teacher allocations at primary and post-primary level are approved annually in accordance with established...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Departmental Staff Redundancies (9 Oct 2013)

Ruairi Quinn: The Government announced a targeted voluntary redundancy package earlier this year which is initially to be rolled out in three areas including specific parts of the Education Sector. Officials of my Department are currently liaising with the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform with a view to finalising arrangements for the roll out of a targeted scheme for the Sector. Although...

Other Questions: Special Educational Needs Services Provision (8 Oct 2013)

Ruairi Quinn: Yes.